Strawberry plant named ‘Canterbury’

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named ‘Canterbury’. The variety is similar to the varieties ‘Coronada’ and ‘San Miguel’. The variety is distinguished from ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’, in particular, by its upright to globose habit, very strong plant vigor, high density, obtuse shape of the terminal leaflet base, medium to dense petiole pubescence, its inflorescence being positioned level with the leaves, very slight to slight difference in the shapes of the primary and secondary fruits, absent or very weak unevenness of surface, strong sweetness, and fine texture when tasted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety originated as a result of a controlled cross between the strawberry plants ‘9A264’ (unpatented variety) and ‘Balboa’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,130) in an ongoing breeding program, and was discovered as a seedling in a controlled breeding plot, in Ventura County, Calif. in February 1996. The original seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated by stolons in McArthur, Shasta County, Calif. ‘Canterbury’ was subsequently asexually propagated and underwent further testing in Ventura County, Calif. for three years. This propagation and testing has demonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein which characterize the new variety are fixed and retained true to type through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named ‘Canterbury’. The variety is botanically identified as Fragaria×ananassa. The new variety is distinguished from other varieties by a number of characteristics as set forth in Tables 1-6.

COMPARISON TO SIMILAR VARIETIES

The varieties which we believe to be similar to ‘Canterbury’ from those known to us are ‘Coronado’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,221) and ‘San Miguel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,642). There are several characteristics of the new variety that are different from, or not possessed by ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’. The new variety has an upright to globose habit, very strong plant vigor, high density, obtuse shape of the terminal leaflet base, medium to dense petiole pubescence, its inflorescence positioned level with the leaves, very slight to slight difference in the shapes of the primary and secondary fruits, absent or very weak unevenness of surface, strong sweetness, and fine texture when tasted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the new variety, including fruit, foliage and flowers, in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make in color illustrations of these characteristics.

FIG. 1 shows the whole plant.

FIG. 2 shows typical whole fruit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description of the new variety is based upon observations taken of plants and fruit grown in Ventura County, Calif., U.S.A. Observations of ‘Canterbury’, ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’ were taken in side by side comparison in 1999. This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology. Color designations, color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate from the stated values and descriptions depending upon variation in environmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions. Colors are described and the most similar color designations are provided from The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Colour Chart.

PROPAGATION

The new variety is principally propagated by way of stolons. Although propagation by stolons is presently preferred, other known methods of propagating strawberry plants may be employed.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW VARIETY

Information on the new variety is presented in Tables 1, 2 and 3. In the tables, the flowers described are secondary flowers except where indicated. The petal color of ‘Canterbury’ is white which is not referenced in The R.H.S. Colour Chart. The fruit described is the secondary fruit on one year old plants. Fruit and flower measurements are an average of both primary and secondary fruit and flowers.

Table 1 provides information on the plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety ‘Canterbury’ compared with characteristics of ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’. Table 2 provides additional information of the plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety ‘Canterbury’ compared with characteristics of the varieties ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’. Table 3 provides reactions of the new variety to stresses as compared to the varieties ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’. The average number of stamens is 29. Anthocyanin pigment on various plant origins is red to purple red in color. The average number of pedicels/peduncle is 5.6. The average diameter of a peduncle is 5.4 mm. The average length of a peduncle is 24.9 cm. The average pedicel diameter is 1.9 mm. The average length of the pedicels is 9.8 cm. The average petiole diameter is 4.1 mm. Achene color is red to yellow-green (46A to 151B). The average sepal number is 11.3 and average sepal size is 1.05 cm. Typical sugar content, as measured by total soluble solids, is 9.5% to 10.5%. An abundant amount of pollen produced. Tables 4 and 5 provide information of the new variety's reaction to pests and diseases, respectively, compared to the varieties ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’. Table 6 provides isozyme characteristics of the new variety as compared to the varieties ‘Coronado’ and ‘San Miguel’.

TABLE 1 DETAILED COMPARISON OF ‘CANTERBURY’, ‘CORONADO’, AND ‘SAN MIGUEL’ San Canterbury Coronado Miguel Plant Characteristics Height of Plant (cm) 30.2 39.8 30.3 Spread of Plant (cm) 43.6 42.2 37.2 Number of Crowns 4.9 4.5 3.1 Leaf Characteristics Terminal Leaflet Width 9.1 7.7 7.9 (cm) Terminal Leaflet Length 8.8 8.5 7.3 (cm) Terminal Leaflet 0.97 1.1 0.93 Length/Width Ratio Number of Teeth/Terminal 24.7 20.1 22.7 Leaflet Petiole Length (cm) 16.7 22.0 22.6 Bract Frequency 0% 10% 10% Typically Typically Typically Single single Single Stipule Length (cm) 3.3 3.9 3.7 Stipule Width (cm) 1.1 1.3 1.0 Flower Characteristics Petal Width (cm) 1.5 1.6 1.6 Petal Length (cm) 1.6 1.7 1.6 Petal Length/Width Ratio 0.95 0.95 0.98 Flower Diameter (cm) 3.7 4.2 4.1 Calyx Diameter (cm) 4.6 6.0 4.9 Fruit Characteristics Fruit Width (cm) 4.2 4.4 4.4 Fruit Length (cm) 4.8 4.8 5.1 Fruit Length/Width Ratio 1.14 1.09 1.16 Average Berry Size (g) 20.7 23.8 25.3 Fruit Skin Color Orange red Dark red Dark red 46A 46A 46A Fruit Flesh Color Red Orange Dark red 42A red 45B 43A Total Yield (g/plant) 522 526 482

TABLE 2 CHARACTERISTICS OF ‘CATERBURY’, ‘CORONADO’, AND ‘SAN MIGUEL’ Canterbury Coronado San Miguel Plant Habit upright to flat globose globose to flat globose globose Density dense open to medium open Vigor very strong strong medium to strong Leaf Color of Green Dark Green Green upper side 137A 147A 137A Color of Light grey Light grey Light grey under side green green green 138C 147C 138C Shape in concave concave concave cross section Interveinal strong medium strong strong blistering Glossiness weak weak weak to medium Number of 3 on 90% of 3 3 leaflets leaves; 4 on 10% of leaves Terminal flat flat revolute to leaflet flat margin profile Terminal obtuse obtuse to rounded leaflet rounded shape of base Terminal obtuse obtuse obtuse leaflet shape of teeth Petiole medium to medium medium pubescence dense Petiole pose upwards to upwards upwards to of hairs outwards outwards Stolon Number medium to many medium many Anthocyanin weak to medium strong strong coloration Thickness medium thin thin to medium Pubescence medium sparse sparse to medium Inflorescence Position level above above relative to foliage Diameter of same size to same size to smaller calyx larger larger relative to corolla Diameter of same size to larger same size to inner calyx larger larger relative to outer Spacing of overlapping overlapping touching to petals overlapping Fruiting Truss Attitude at erect semi-erect to prostrate first prostrate picking Length (cm) 16.4 28.6 25.3 Fruit Predominant conical to conical to conical to shape cordate almost cordate cylindrical Difference very slight to moderate marked in shapes slight between primary and secondary fruits Band without absent or very narrow narrow to achenes narrow medium Unevenness absent or very weak to medium medium of surface weak Evenness of even even even color Glossiness medium strong medium to strong Insertion of level with level with level with achenes surface surface surface Insertion of level in a basin to set above calyx level Pose of the spreading to spreading to reflexed calyx reflexed reflexed segments Size of larger larger same size to calyx in larger relation to fruit Firmness of medium to firm firm medium to firm flesh Evenness of slightly slightly uneven slightly uneven flesh color eneven Distribution marginal and marginal and marginal and of flesh central central central color Hollow small to small to medium small to medium center size medium Sweetness strong weak medium Texture when fine fine to medium medium tasted Acidity weak strong strong Time of early early to medium early Flowering Time of early early to medium early Fruiting Time of partially partially partially Bearing everbearing everbearing everbearing

REACTION TO STRESS

TABLE 3 Canterbury Coronado San Miguel Reaction to Stress high pH Moderately Moderately Moderately Resistant Resistant Resistant high soil salt Moderately Moderately Moderately levels Resistant Resistant Resistant

PEST AND DISEASE RESISTANCE AND SUSCEPTIBILITY

TABLE 4 Canterbury Coronado San Miguel Reaction to Pests Tetranychus susceptible susceptible susceptible urticae Aphis spp. susceptible susceptible susceptible Lygus hesperus susceptible susceptible susceptible

TABLE 5 Canterbury Coronado San Miguel Reaction to Diseases Bortrytis fruit moderately susceptible highly rot resistant susceptible Powdery mildew moderately moderately moderately resistant resistant resistant Verticillium highly susceptible highly wilt susceptible susceptible Strawberry moderately moderately moderately Mottle Virus resistant resistant resistant Xanthomonas susceptible susceptible susceptible fragariae

ISOZYME ANALYSIS

In addition to the morphological description above, the new cultivar ‘Canterbury’ has been analyzed to obtain an indication of its genetic makeup to provide further means for identifying the new variety and distinguishing it from some other somewhat similar and/or related strawberry varieties. Specifically, leaf samples of ‘Canterbury’, ‘Coronado’, and ‘San Miguel’ were analyzed by electrophoresis for isozyme patterns of the enzymes phosphoglucoisomerase (PGI), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) and phosphoglucomutase (PGM). See J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 106:684-687. Isozyme characterization of the three varieties is presented in Table 4, with the letters representing the banding patterns for each enzyme as designated in the above-identified article.

TABLE 6 ISOZYME ANALYSIS FOR ‘CANTERBURY’, ‘CORONADO’, AND ‘SAN MIGUEL’ Locus Canterbury Coronado San Miguel PGI A3 A2 A4 LAP B3 B3 B3 PGM C3 C4 C2 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of strawberry plant, substantially as shown and described. 